In this atomic physics experiment you will study the Zeeman effect (1902 Nobel Prize in Physics) by observing the spectra of neon and mercury; you will determine the g-factors and compare with those predicted on the basis of L-S coupling. This experiment allows you to use quantum mechanics to understand the atomic energy levels in multi-electron atoms under a magnetic field. Some of the practical applications include spectral analysis and measurement of magnetic field strength, especially when the latter cannot be measured directly.

Glossary
THE ZEEMAN EFFECT is the splitting of atomic spectral lines of in the presence of a magnetic field. The (normal) Zeeman effect can be understood classically, as Lorentz predicted, as the interaction energy of an orbiting electron with the magnetic field. Zeeman discovered the effect, but under closer investigation it did not agree with Lorentz. This "anomalous" Zeeman effect was eventually explained by the quantum mechanical effects of spin..